The iWatch release date is closer than expected, with report of Taiwan manufacturer Quanta Computer Inc. mass-producing units as early as this July.
An insider source revealed Apple's first stake in the smartwatch market starts this July, commissioning Taiwan's Quanta Computer Inc. to mass-produce units. Commercial launch is expected within Q4 2014, as early as October.
Details are yet to be confirmed, but the same source who confirmed the mass production expects the smartwatch to sport a 2.5-inch (diagonal) display. The device, dubbed the iWatch, will have a slightly protruding face and an arched shape. Touch and wireless charging are also part of the features.
Apple targets at least 50 million units released within the first year. Trial manufacturing is ongoing, with progress estimated at 70 percent of final assembly.
An interesting twist to reports pegs LG as part of Apple's iWatch production. Subject to verification, LG Display Co Ltd will likely be the exclusive source of the display hardware.
One of the more interesting features of the device is a sensor for a pulse monitor. Singapore company Heptagon is on the shortlist of suppliers considered for the imaging and sensor parts (businessinsider.com).
The iWatch release date has been speculated on over the past few months, and though industry experts expect a 2014 launch in response to the LG G3, detailed report of mass production and Quanta Computer's participation is only recently validated.
A brief overview of the smartwatch market is covered in this TechRadar report:
The initial signs of an iWatch release surfaced as early as June 2013, when Apple applied for trademark to the "iWatch" term in Japan, made public June 27, and covers for a variety of categories: computer, computer peripheral, GPS device, and voice recognition software.
Apple applied for the same trademark in Russia by July, and several patents were also filed in the US to cover for a curved battery and display. LG G3 is currently available on the market, and Sony has released a precursor to the same, basically a smartphone peripheral (pcadvisor.co.uk). The exact iWatch release date is still pending confirmation.
